Forbes Ranks Duke Among America's Best Employers for Women in 2023

Duke University Health System ranks 73rd and Duke University places 105th among 400 employers honored

A view of Duke University Chapel featuring the medical campus featured in the background. Photo courtesy of University Communications.
A view of Duke University Chapel featuring the medical campus featured in the background. Photo courtesy of University Communications.

Duke University and Duke University Health System have been named among “America's Best Employers for Women” in 2023, according to Forbes.

In a survey of 60,000 U.S. employees, Duke University Health System was ranked 73rd and Duke University placed 105th on a list of 400 employers.

“This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to creating an inclusive and empowering work environment for all,” said Antwan Lofton, Vice President of Duke Human Resources. “We firmly believe that an organization’s true success lies in the happiness and development of its employees. This recognition serves as a testament to our dedication to the well-being and professional growth of every member of our organization, and it motivates us to continue raising the bar for employee satisfaction."

Forbes partnered with statistical research firm Statista for the survey, which asked participants to evaluate their employers on dimensions such as atmosphere and development, working conditions, salary and wage, diversity, parental leave, and family support.

The sample included about 40,000 women, and the survey was conducted on companies from all industry sectors, except for government services.

In recent years, Duke has expanded its parental leave benefit and increased the number of lactation spaces on campus. In addition, women are increasingly represented in leadership positions at Duke.

"We are excited about and proud of this important recognition for Duke as we continue the ongoing journey of building a diverse, equitable and inclusive community where all members can thrive in their work, research and learning,” said Kim Hewitt, Vice President for Institutional Equity and Chief Diversity Officer at Duke.

Duke University Health System Chief Executive Officer Craig Albanese, M.D., said the recognition validates Duke's work to create a more inclusive and respectful environment.

“Seventy-eight percent of our workforce is women – each of them, their roles, and their voices are essential to our success,” Albanese said. “We believe that we’re able to better care for our patients and communities when every team member is able to bring their full selves to the table. Thank you to our incredible team members who make Duke University Health System a great place to work. Together, we’ll continue to advance equity and inclusion in the workplace while transforming health and clinical care.”

Duke recently received recognition from Newsweek as one of “America’s Greatest Workplaces.”

Read the full Forbes list here.

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